Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

Psalm 61. This is an individual lament of sorts: it serves as a general request for God's help in times of trouble for particular members of God's people. At the same time it is certainly not individualistic: in praying for the (Davidic) king, vv. 6-7 ties royal well-being to the well-being of the whole people; and v. 8 looks forward to acts of public worship as the proper result of the help for which the psalm prays.

61:1-3 Hear My Prayer, for You Have Been My Refuge. As the congregation sings this, they imagine themselves in all manner of places (the end of the earth) and circumstances (when my heart is faint) in which they feel needy and exposed; in such cases they should lift their cry to God, who is a reliable refuge and strong tower. The rock that is higher than I is an image of safety (cf. 27:5). For "rock" and "refuge" together, cf. 18:2.